---
title: '2026 BMW M2 CS - Sunday Morning Drive in the Ultimate M2'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=Aw9WrD6_Hz0'
video_id: 'Aw9WrD6_Hz0'
date: 2026-07-15
duration_sec: 1253
---

# 2026 BMW M2 CS - Sunday Morning Drive in the Ultimate M2

> Source: [2026 BMW M2 CS - Sunday Morning Drive in the Ultimate M2](https://youtube.com/watch?v=Aw9WrD6_Hz0)

## Summary

The video is a casual Sunday morning drive review of the 2026 BMW M2 CS, a limited-production performance coupe. The presenter shares driving impressions on Michigan roads, highlighting the car's power, handling, and daily usability while comparing it to other M models.

### Key Points

- **Track Experience Recap** [00:03] — The car was taken to Gingerman Raceway for a track day, which was covered in a previous video.
- **Casual Drive Purpose** [00:16] — This video focuses on a casual drive to let viewers hear the car, feel it on bumpy roads, and get daily driving impressions.
- **Production and Pricing** [00:28] — BMW is making only about 2,000 units worldwide, with a starting price around $100,000. Options like carbon ceramics ($8,000) and carbon roof add cost.
- **Tires and Track Performance** [00:43] — The car has Pilot Sport 4S tires, which survived the track day but are not ideal for track work. Cup 2 or RE7RZ would be better.
- **Favorite M Car** [01:11] — The presenter considers this maybe their favorite M car, though the manual Z4 M40i Handschalter Edition was also great but is now gone.
- **Comparison to M3/M4** [01:39] — The M2 CS is smaller, tighter, and more communicative than the M3/M4. The presenter is excited for the new M3 CS Handschalter with manual.
- **Weight Reduction** [02:03] — The CS is about 100 lbs lighter than the standard M2, thanks to carbon fiber components.
- **Exterior and Trunk** [02:28] — Features a carbon composite rear trunk with a large ducttail spoiler. No spare tire, but decent trunk space with folding rear seats.
- **Fuel Economy** [02:55] — 13.7 gallon tank, averages 19 mpg combined, mid-to-high 20s on highway.
- **Design Improvements** [03:09] — The CS treatment fixes some design gripes, making the car more aggressive. Curious about future M2 variants.
- **Engine and Performance** [03:25] — S58 engine with 523 hp and 479 lb-ft torque. Tweaked limited-slip diff, chassis bracing, stiffer suspension, improved aero and cooling.
- **Wheels and Brakes** [03:50] — Wheels look great but are hard to clean. Carbon ceramics didn't dust badly even after track day.
- **Seats Comfort** [04:07] — CS seats are supportive and comfortable on long journeys, despite looking aggressive.
- **Interior Quality** [04:35] — One of BMW's best interiors with physical controls for most functions, except climate. Carbon fiber center console, no armrest.
- **Physical Controls** [05:04] — Physical dimmer switch and distance control on steering wheel are praised. Other BMWs bury these in menus.
- **Drivability** [05:59] — 8-speed auto is smooth in comfort mode. Suspension is stiff but never lets you forget it's an M car. Carbon ceramic brakes are easy to modulate.
- **Handling and Specialness** [06:29] — Car feels tight, responsive, and flat in corners. Not as fizzy as the M5 CS, but close. Good blend of performance and daily usability.
- **Power and Traction** [07:52] — The car is genuinely overpowered for its traction, making it entertaining. Easy to drive at the limit on track.
- **Highway Driving** [08:45] — Suspension settles at speed. Adaptive cruise control and driving assistance tech work well. CarPlay is responsive.
- **Transmission and Shifter** [10:18] — Physical shifter is important for enthusiast engagement. Paddle shifters are good but not always preferred.
- **Brakes and Downshifts** [11:16] — Brakes are easy to modulate. Downshifts in Sport Plus mode are satisfying.
- **Dual Personality** [12:43] — CS products have a Jekyll-and-Hyde personality: calm in comfort, insane in sport modes.
- **Competition and Practicality** [13:08] — Compared to AMG or Porsche, it's less raw but offers great performance and practicality. Usable back seat and trunk, can be daily driver.
- **Exclusivity and Value** [13:39] — About 2,000 units worldwide, not unobtainium. Likely holds value well, unlike Porsches that are overpriced.
- **Turbo Lag and Pull** [14:14] — Some turbo lag at 3,000 RPM, but once boost comes in, it pulls hard.
- **Track Capability** [14:42] — The car is seriously fast on track, and horsepower feels underrated.
- **Ride Comfort** [15:22] — Stiffer than standard M2 on Michigan roads but not uncomfortable.
- **Driving Dynamics** [15:55] — Easier to drive than first-gen M2, with better controllability and confidence at the limit.
- **Overall Impression** [16:45] — Favorite current M car. Right size, fun to drive, but could use more steering feel. Hits in many nice ways.
- **Missing DRLs** [18:11] — Wishes the car had greenish-yellow DRLs like other CS models. Aftermarket option exists.
- **Final Thoughts** [18:55] — Interior doesn't feel base-spec like previous M2. Darker colors like velvet blue (purple) look fantastic.

### Conclusion

The 2026 BMW M2 CS is a highly capable and entertaining performance coupe that blends track-ready power with daily usability, making it one of the best M cars currently available.

## Transcript

We've had a ton of fun with this thing this week. We took it out to the track at Gingerman Raceway. You guys may have seen that track video that I posted a few days ago. In today's video, I just wanted to kind of take this out for a
casual. Sum up some thoughts in this this week. let you guys listen to the car, feel it on our bumpier Michigan roads, see what it's like to kind of a daily drive this thing and give you guys
some more driving impressions. BMW isn't building a ton of these, only about announced that they're going to be making a handful more because demand was so high. Starting price on this is around 100 grand. Carbon ceramics at
about $8,000 or so to that. Carbon roof adds some money to that, too. This has the Pilot Sport 4S tires, which did survive the track day, though not necessarily a tire compound I would recommend for track work. They did uh
demand, though. Pretty much any speed you could roll on the throttle on this Wasn't necessarily as fast as it could have been on a set of Cup Twos or uh Bridgestone RE7 RZs or something like that, but it was very, very
entertaining. The power and performance from this car from BMW for around 100 grand is pretty awesome. I think this is maybe my favorite M car. Yeah, I don't know if I like driving it more than the manual Z4 M40i hand shelter edition, but
that car is kind of gone at this point. So, for 100 grand, if you get your hands on one of these, it's a pretty good driver. It's a little bit smaller, a little bit tighter, and more communicative than the M3 M4. And I am
excited to drive the new M3CS hand shelter with the manual, though it won't have as much power as this thing does. I'll top it aside. We'll start it up and I'll top it aside. We'll start it up and we'll go out for a Sunday morning drive.
We've done a ton of videos on this car. You guys already know the deal. Lighter, more powerful, more exclusive, lots of carbon fiber, about 100 lbs less here
carbon fiber, about 100 lbs less here than the standard M2. You can quiet down that cold start considerably if you want to sneak out of
considerably if you want to sneak out of your garage in silence.
Got a carbon composite rear trunk with this massive ducttail spoiler. fallen off. There we go. No spare tire, but decent amount of
No spare tire, but decent amount of trunk space. Rear seats fold down. Love that carbon rear diffuser. Exhaust here sounds fantastic. We have a 13.7
here sounds fantastic. We have a 13.7 gallon fuel tank and it averages about 19 combined. on the highway actually gets pretty decent fuel economy in the mid to high 20s. So that's a good thing. I think with the M2 CS they fixed some
of my gripes with the design of this car. They made it a little bit more aggressive looking and I think it lends itself well to CS treatment. We'll see what direction they take the M2 after this. I am curious if they'll do a more
aggressive version. the venerable S58, 523 horsepower, 479 pound feet of torque. We've got a tweaked limited slip rear differential,
a lot of chassis bracing, lighter weight components, stiffer suspension, and some good aerodynamics and extra cooling to handle the extra power here.
Love these wheels. probably a massive pain to clean, but they still look Even with the track day, they didn't dust horribly on the carbon ceramics.
I will say the more time I spend in these seats in an MCS product, whether it's the M3, the M4, the more I like them. The adjustability is fantastic and I don't know, they look like they're just going to be some type of
uncomfortable BDSM thing, but they're not. They're really, really actually quite supportive and on longer journeys quite comfortable. And you've even got backseat passengers to tickle you, which is always very exciting. Back seats,
regular M2, no worries there. Lots of carbon fiber everywhere. And uh I think honestly this is one of the best interiors that BMW makes. There are physical controls for just about everything except for climate. You've
buttons, your exhaust buttons. You've got M1 and M2 buttons. And then look at this distance control. BMW forgot that these should be physical buttons on the steering wheel. And in every other BMW model, they've put them in 10 menus deep
ridiculous. We also get a physical dimmer switch. Look at that. Joy of joys. You can dim all the buttons and the gauges and the screens when it's very dark out, which is fantastic.
Paddle shifters. It's kind of the same treatment we've seen in the M3 and M4. Actually, basically an identical looking interior to the M3, M4, which I think is fine. They've kind of figured out this CS interior with this carbon fiber
center console. There's no armrest, but it's still comfortable enough in here. seat bolsters, honestly, when you're driving this thing. Tons of driving adjustment with your positioning, steering wheel tilts, and telescopes. I
love this new M steering wheel from BMW. It feels massive in hand just because it's so thick, but it's just a great shape, and I think it looks fantastic.
sensors all around. The 8-speed auto is nice and smooth, really refined off the line. Everything in comfort mode. Drivability is great. Suspension is on the stiffer side. This car never lets you forget that you are
car never lets you forget that you are in an M car. Carbon ceramic brakes. Really easy to modulate, easy to drive on.
Car feels tight, responsive, super flat around corners. always reminded that there's just a little bit more specialness going on
little bit more specialness going on with the M2 CS. It's not as fizzy and good as the calibration was, at least with steering as the M5 CS was a few years ago. That is still one of my favorite M cars I've driven since the
E92 M3s, but it's it's getting close. I think BMW could have tightened this M2 up a little bit more,
but it still remains comfortable and it's a nice blend between performance it's a nice blend between performance and daily drivability.
which is not to be confused with velvet blue, which is purple. Porto blue is actually blue. We'll go into our M1 setting here, We'll go into our M1 setting here, manual.
enormous. There is just so much capability from this powertrain, from this chassis. Yes, this is still kind of heavy. It
weighs around 3,700 lb, but you don't feel it. It feels like a car that weighs around 34 or 3500 lb. Don't get me wrong, there is a ton of grip here with this M2CS. It's just that there is more power. This is one of the few cars on
power. This is one of the few cars on the road that is genuinely overpowered for its amount of traction, which I think is just entertaining, fun, exciting. It adds to the drama of this vehicle and it handles it very well.
It's very very easy to drive at the limit on the racetrack and uh when your little thrills of just dipping into the throttle. Even in efficient mode, this thing is exciting to hustle on the highway.
M1, M2 modes. We're not going to be pushing this car super hard this morning. It's 49° Fahrenheit outside and we've done tons of fast driving in it already this week. On the highway, the suspension settles
comfortable at speed. We have really nice driving assistance tech. Again, we've got our adaptive cruise control. Our following distance right here on the steering wheel. You can skip 5 mph increments by double pressing up on the
plus or minus indicators. You can set a speed limiter. All good things in the M2 CS. It's nice to see good tech here. We get this massive screen. CarPlay is beautiful. It's responsive. You've got quick access
buttons right here. And it's the old school style BMW configuration where you can quickly access different things like your navigation and your map. It works your navigation and your map. It works great.
these days, still gives you a shifter down here. I think that is so important for what people want to do in these cars. Sometimes you don't always want to use the plastic paddle shifters.
It's easy to put it into drive if you don't want to lock it into manual.
everyone up on a Sunday morning at 6:43 a.m. sound, but it's convincing. And on track, it's actually really nice
to be able to hear this car a bit better. The exhaust sounds fantastic. this 8-speed auto, but they're still pretty darn good for an 8-speed torque
converter transmission. Upshifts are bang-on fast.
brakes. They're so easy to modulate. Bite is fantastic.
downshifts and off throttle in sport plus mode.
Let's go into our setup. Make M2 a little bit softer. Put chassis in sport.
very much a jackal and hide personality, even more so in the CS products. It can calm down and be comfortable and then you can press a button twice and it's full insanity sideways. I love that about M cars.
I don't think ultimately they're as satisfying or engaging or as raw as some of their competitors from AMG or from Porsche, but this M2CS offers really,
performance. Unless if you're shopping cheap Z06s, I don't think there's really anything else that comes close to this in terms of fun, enjoyment, and then the practicality aspect is fantastic, too, because it's just so usable. I have
me. I have a nice size trunk. I have a usable back seat. I could put my kids back there. And this could be my daily driver, only car. Throw some winter tires on here. Slide it around in the snow. It's a very, very usable package.
And the exclusivity here, even though they are making quite a few of these, I to the United States, about 2,000 worldwide. If you want one, you can still get your hands on one. It's not unoptanium and it's not $150,000 like
every Porsche seems to be these days. Chances are too, at least with what we've seen with the F87 M2CS, it'll probably hold its value pretty well.
everywhere. 3,000 RPM, a little bit of turbo lag, but once boost comes in, it just pulls like crazy.
you need a racetrack to explore its full capabilities. And then when you take it explore its full capabilities on the racetrack. It is seriously fast.
The horsepower figure that BMW quotes here has to be to the wheels. It definitely feels very BMW German underrated. At least when it's going to the tire, it's just there's a ton of power here.
week. It's a little bit stiffer on Michigan roads, but not uncomfortably. Michigan roads, but not uncomfortably. So, with the CS and the standard M2. The performance envelope, like I said, is
massive. It's a really good car.
Some harder shifts there in the most aggressive setting. This is a much easier M2 to drive. I remember the first generation being a
little bit twitchy and difficult to accurately place. controllability, short wheelbase agility, and just
overall confidence behind the wheel at the limit. communication, but still it's good enough. It's better than the standard enough. It's better than the standard M2.
[laughter] it feels a little bit strange making so many videos on such a low production car, but if BMW is going to keep them in the press fleets, we're going to keep making videos on them. And it is a good direction for the M2. I'm
curious to see what else they come out with. if there's a CSL or uh GTS. I don't know. We'll we'll see what M M Division does with the M2. This is definitely my favorite M car that they make right now. It's just the right
size. It's the right package. It's so fun to drive. It could look a little bit more steering feel. Those are some things that I'm sure BMW can improve upon in the future. But for now, this M2 CS
hits in some really, really nice ways. It's fun to drive. It's satisfying. And on track this week, it was just insane. So, thanks to uh BMW for letting us take it out and destroy a set of tires. It's been a lot of fun. Hopefully, you guys
enjoyed the content. We'll see you guys in the next one. because this is the spot with the lighting today. Oh, just gorgeous. Look
lighting today. Oh, just gorgeous. Look at that.
Oh, only other thing. Wish they did the uh the green greenish yellow DRLs on this. My buddy who bought his velvet blue M2 CS did that as an aftermarket I don't know why this is the first CS that doesn't have that.
I don't know. They previous generation M2 felt like you were always getting a little bit more base spec, less feature content. This new car doesn't feel that way. The interior is again again almost identical to the M3, M4. There really
isn't any base model feel to this car comparatively, but the lack of DRLs is one area where this thing feels like it's lacking something or missing it's lacking something or missing something compared to the M3 and M4.
All right, that's going to be a wrap for me. Thank you so much for watching. We'll see you guys in the next one. I'm going to take a few photos and we'll walk you guys around this one more time. What a shot. Wow.
What a shot. Wow. Do portrait mode. I actually want to photograph and look at. And I think the darker
color helps a little bit, too. This blue, the velvet blue, which is purple. blue, the velvet blue, which is purple. I think fantastic colors on this MTCS. Gosh, look at the braking hardware, too. They've really maximized the wheel size
all these big wheels on these sports cars these days, but when they fill it with brake, you know they've done the right thing. And you've got the star is a specifically tuned compound for the car, which is what you want from BMW.
details here that add up. Like you can remove the headrests for more clearance with your racing helmet on track. The stitching, the seat belts with the M colors in them. Um, just I don't [clears throat] know. It It just feels
[clears throat] know. It It just feels so so special in here. I think in a way that a lot of $100,000 cars don't anymore.